Bakerloo-Bakerloo (1969)

Another short-lived, one-album band was Bakerloo, hailing from the British town of Tamworth. Their lineup included guitarist Dave "Clem" Clempson, bassist Terry Pole, and drummer John Hinch. Initially, this power trio was called Bakerloo Blues Line and, as the name suggests, based their style on the blues. However, as time went on, they became more experimental, moving towards progressive blues rock. Thanks to a considerable following and the sponsorship of future Black Sabbath manager Jim Simpson, they gained enough recognition to perform on John Peel's famous BBC Radio 1 show, "Top Gear." Shortly after, John Hinch was replaced by drummer Keith Baker, with whom they recorded their self-titled debut album, released by the prestigious Harvest label in 1969. Although the album received very enthusiastic reviews, it unfortunately had little commercial impact, despite containing genuinely progressive music with blues, jazz, and heavy hard rock sounds. Tracks like the powerful "Big Bear Ffolly," the psychedelic "Last Blues," the epic boogie-rock "Son of Moonshine," the folk-blues foray into Johann Sebastian Bach's classic "Drivin' Bachwards," and the hypnotic blues of the majestic "This Worried Feeling" make it a truly underrated classic of the progressive genre. Shortly after the release of this album, the band would break up when Clempson left to join the jazz rock band Colosseum and later Humble Pie, while Keith Baker would do the same, joining Uriah Heep and Terry Poole the Graham Bond Organisation.

Jim Diamond-Double Crossed (1984)

Jim Diamond became a dazzling star thanks to several of his songs that achieved great commercial and media success in the 1980s. This Scottish singer-songwriter began his career at a young age, leading several local bands in the Glasgow area, such as The Method and Jade, in the 1960s. Jade gained attention after performing in London in 1969. It was then that the legendary bluesman Alexis Korner saw him perform and was pleasantly surprised by his talented voice with its soulful and bluesy undertones. Shortly after, Diamond joined Korner's band, providing backing vocals and recording the album "The Lost Album." After his time with Korner, he formed the group Bandit, which also included future AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams. After releasing the album "Bandit," Diamond disbanded the group and became the vocalist for BACCO, a short-lived Japanese band. The lack of success and limited media attention led him to move to Los Angeles and form a new band called Slick Diamond with guitarist Earl Slick, though they never officially released any material. Finally, in 1981, he achieved success with the trio PhD, comprised of Diamond, drummer Simon Phillips, and keyboardist Tony Hymas, two seasoned musicians with extensive experience playing alongside Jeff Beck, Jack Bruce, Gary Moore, Judas Priest, and Duncan Browne. Diamond's composition "I Won't Let You Down" became one of his most iconic songs and a top-selling single of 1982. However, the band's run was short-lived; shortly after disbanding, Diamond decided to launch his solo career and signed with A&M Records. In 1984, he achieved worldwide success with the acclaimed "I Should Have Known Better," an intense ballad from his debut album, "Double Crossed," which also featured other notable tracks such as "Remember I Love You" and "I Sleep Alone at Night." Several minor hits, like "Hi Ho Silver," and collaborations with musicians such as Tony Banks and Steve Hackett of Genesis, became his most significant contributions. In the following years, Jim Diamond remained largely outside the mainstream charts, despite sporadically releasing a series of albums that went largely unnoticed by the public.

Diana Krall-Wallflower (2015)

For her twelfth studio album, jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall presented a repertoire comprised of pop and rock standards from the last four decades, all contemporary classics that inspired her early career. Produced by David Foster, a born winner with more than 15 Grammy Awards to his name, the album also features collaborations with folk, rock, and jazz legends such as Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Christian McBride, Michael Thompson, Nathan East, Michael Bublé, Timothy B. Schmit, Georgie Fame, Bryan Adams, Steve Jordan, and Jim Keltner, among many others. For the album, Diana Krall meticulously selected each song, including true classics such as "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas and The Papas, "Desperado" and "I Can't Tell You Why" by The Eagles, "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" by Elton John, "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan, "Wallflower" by Bob Dylan, and "I'm Not In Love" by 10cc. In all of them, Diana Krall showcases her tremendous vocal talent, singing expressively and with great beauty. With this album, Diana Krall has definitively established that her artistic talent transcends any musical style, making her one of the most important and influential artists of recent decades.

The Walker Brothers-No Regrets (1975)

Despite being American, the Walker Brothers' fame began in England in the mid-1960s. It all started in 1965 with the success of their first single, "Make It Easy On Yourself," a song composed by Burt Bacharach a few years earlier. The Walker Brothers' voices became classics of 1960s pop during those years, with a style based on the perfect quality and vocal harmonies of the three members of the group: Scott Engel (Scott Walker), vocals and bass; John Maus (John Walker), vocals and guitar; and Gary Leeds (Gary Walker), drums and vocals. Their beginnings date back several years earlier when, after various experiences, they decided to move from California to England. There, in addition to the single "Make It Easy On Yourself," they achieved success with other songs like "My Ship Is Coming In." Their first album, "Take It Easy," also propelled them to triumph, leading to a true Walker Brothers boom. Their most iconic song, "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore," and subsequent singles propelled them to the same commercial heights as The Beatles for several years. These singles included "Baby You Don't Have to Tell Me," "Another Tear Falls," "Deadlier Than the Male," "Stay with Me Baby," and "Walking in the Rain." However, this whirlwind of success didn't prevent the group from disbanding after their third album, "Images," released in 1967. Subsequently, none of the three members would achieve the same level of individual success they had enjoyed while together. In 1975, they reunited to record the brilliant "No Regrets," but after that, they never reunited again, remaining immortalized as a fundamental group of the 1960s thanks to their immense talent and perfect vocal harmonies.

Queen-Live At Wembley ´86 (1986)

After the massive 1985 concert, "Live Aid," the British band Queen, immersed in a deep creative and internal crisis and facing doubts about their future, persevered, rising from the ashes with their next album, "A Kind of Magic." On the tour following this album, the band performed around thirty concerts throughout Europe, though not in the United States, where they were banned due to their provocative and (in the eyes of the American authorities) obscene promotional video, "I Want to Break Free." On July 11 and 12, 1986, they performed at the legendary Wembley Stadium, and the material from those performances was released later that year as the double live album "Live at Wembley '86." Before more than 150,000 people who filled the stadium during those two days, Queen, with Freddie Mercury at the helm, presented a wide repertoire of their greatest hits such as "Under Pressure", "Another One Bites The Dust", "I Want To Break Free", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" or "Bohemian Rhapsody", in addition to several songs from the album that motivated the tour such as the eponymous "A Kind of Magic", or other emblematic songs such as "Seven Seas of Rhye" or the infectious "In the Lap of the Gods"; the hard rock "Tie Your Mother Down", "Now I'm Here" and "Hammer to Fall"; or a moving tribute to late 1950s rock and roll with "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care," "Hello Mary Lou Goodbye Heart," and "Tutti Frutti," culminating in a thrilling finale with the energetic "Radio Ga Ga" and the unbeatable duet of the iconic "We Will Rock" and "We Are the Champions.". To close, the British anthem "God Save the Queen," with Freddie Mercury dressed in a cape and crown emulating the Queen of England, perhaps the most legendary and memorable image of one of the greatest singers in rock history.

Spin Doctors-Pocket Full Of Kryptonite (1991)

Emerging in the midst of the grunge craze of the late eighties, Spin Doctors had a meteoric rise thanks to a debut album brimming with alternative sounds, funk, rock, and pop. Their laid-back and fun songs led them to earn half a dozen platinum records with their first album, "Pocket Full of Kryptonite", an ironic title that directly references the Superman comics. Founded in New York in 1988, their first and most successful lineup consisted of vocalist Chris Barron, guitarist Eric Schenkman, bassist Mark White, and drummer Aaron Comes. It wasn't until 1990 that they recorded "Pocket Full of Kryptonite" under Epic Records, which was released in the middle of the following year. Composed of a carefree repertoire of songs ranging from pop-rock sounds like "Two Princes" or "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", to captivating funk-rock tracks like "Come Off My Line" or "What Time Is It?", passing through the tour de force rock "Shinbone Alley/Hard to Exist", the rhythmic "Jimmy Olsen's Blues" or the jazzy "Forty or Fifty."

Miles Davis Quintet-Miles Smiles (1966)

A few years before Miles Davis began exploring the more avant-garde sounds of jazz, fusing it with rock, electronica, and funk, he released another of his legendary albums focused on melodic and somewhat futuristic bebop, anticipating by almost a decade what would later be called jazz fusion. Surrounded by one of his legendary quintets—comprising Wayne Shorter (saxophone), Anthony Williams (drums), Ron Carter (bass), and Herbie Hancock (piano)—Miles Davis favored a jazz style with a clear emphasis on the extended solos of some of his bandmates. The musicians' remarkable flexibility led to fabulous rhythms driven by the flawless rhythm section of Carter and Wayne and the tight exchange of solos between Davis's trumpet and Shorter's saxophone. Hancock's vibrant piano notes, the brilliant percussion, the driving rhythm of the wind instruments, and the inspired notes present in every groove of the record reflect a jazz album at its finest and a true masterpiece of the genre. 

Neil Young-Harvest (1972)

Neil Young's most acclaimed and successful album is also one of his most uneven works, musically speaking. Released in early 1972, "Harvest" is the fourth album by the Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and musician. In addition to collaborations with his former bandmates David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash, other musicians who contributed to its creation include Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, the London Symphony Orchestra, Jack Nitzsche, and Kenny Buttrey. Positioning a blend of acoustic and rock, Neil Young delivered a work dominated by the album's standout track, the immense and emotive "Heart of Gold", which somewhat overshadows other highly meritorious tracks such as the country-rock anthems "Are You Ready for the Country" and "Alabama", the intricate "Old Man" and the melancholic "The Needle and the Damage Done". However, it is the predictable and out-of-place “A Man Needs A Maid” and the orchestrated “There’s A Word” that somehow leave a bittersweet taste to an album that would reap an irrefutable commercial success with nearly ten million copies sold worldwide.

Nazareth-2XS (1982)

In 1982, at the height of the AOR craze, the Scottish band Nazareth released their best work of the 1980s, an album that perfectly blended melodic rock with their signature hard rock sound. By this point, Nazareth had already experimented with this FM-oriented style with the brilliant albums "Close Enough For Rock 'n' Roll" (1976), "Expect No Mercy" (1977), and "Malice In Wonderland" (1980), records that were well-received by their fans and achieved significant success on the American and European charts. With “2XS,” the band’s thirteenth album, they returned to that formula, reflecting the charismatic rock that has always characterized them in tracks like “Take The Rap” and “Black To The Trenches,” alternating with more experimental and eclectic songs like “Mexico” and “Gatecrash,” while their more melodic side is present in the catchy “Love Leads To Madness,” “Games,” “Dream On,” and “Lonely In The Night”. Although it didn’t achieve the same commercial success as its predecessors, two of its singles, “Love Leads To Madness” and “Dream On”, climbed high on the Billboard charts in the UK and other countries around the world.

The Traveling Wilburys-Traveling Wilburys Vol.1 (1988)

 

A bizarre series of coincidences led five of the greatest rock artists in the world to come together and join forces to found the band The Traveling Wilburys and release several albums between the late 1980s and early 1990s. It all began when George Harrison (The Beatles) and Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra) finished composing and producing a song for the former Beatle's eleventh album, "Cloud Nine". Lynne also happened to be working at the same recording studios in Malibu, California, owned by Bob Dylan, producing Roy Orbison's album "Mystery Girl," so both ended up getting involved in Harrison's songwriting. Shortly after, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan also joined the project and collaborated on the recording. This amazing gathering of "friends" resulted in enough material to complete an independent album, which would be titled "Vol. 1" and released under the name The Traveling Wilburys. Released in October 1988, this debut album, comprised of ten high-quality tracks, was a fusion of the band members' styles, including country, folk, and rock, featuring the addictive songs "Handle With Care," "Dirty World," "Tweeter and the Monkey Man," and "End of the Line". Its reception was tremendously successful, selling over two million copies in the first few months after its release. However, The Traveling Wilburys' career was short-lived. Two months after the release of this first album, in December 1988, Roy Orbison died of a heart attack at the age of 52. Two years later, the four remaining musicians released a new and ultimately final album, "Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3," which they dedicated to Roy Orbison. Finally, after years of speculation about a reunion, The Traveling Wilburys would end up disappearing in 2001, with the death of George Harrison from lung cancer.

Moraina-Loners & Lovers (1974)

This Danish band, formed in the early seventies, released only one excellent album, which is considered among the best musical productions to come out of Denmark. Composed of musicians from other prominent Danish bands such as Culpeper's Orchard and Day of Phoenix, the lineup consisted of vocalist Hans Lauridsen, guitarist and keyboardist Nils Henriksen, guitarist and harmonica player Ole Prehn, and drummer Ken Gudman, with bassist Thorkild Nielsen completing the band. During their early years, the band earned a strong reputation in their home country by releasing a series of singles that garnered considerable attention. Then, in 1974, they released their only full-length album, "Loners & Lovers," a superb record where warm vocal harmonies, reminiscent of American bands like Crosby, Stills & Nash and America, were complemented by beautiful folk-rock melodies. In contrast to these sounds, we also find highly inspired moments closer to energetic rock and even blues rock, such as the opening track "Late Night Woman Blues," the vigorous "Rock 'n' Man," and the bluesy boogie "Fortunate & Fame," while the aforementioned folk/country vein is present in the captivating "Break It Up," "Since You've Been Gone," and the melancholic "Alone." There's even room for AOR tracks like the catchy mid-tempo "Deep Within The Storm" and "City Rambling Boy." Some time later, the band would definitively disband, leaving behind this magnificent work of folk, blues, and rock, which has earned its well-deserved recognition among fans of 1970s rock music. 

Mariah-Mariah (1975)

A short-lived band originally from Chicago, formed in the late 1960s, which enjoyed considerable popularity in the Michigan club and concert hall scene for a few years. During the early 1970s, under the name The Jamestown Massacre, they recorded a series of singles released by Warner Bros., which received some airplay on local Chicago radio stations. After several lineup changes, in 1974 the band, now definitively renamed Mariah, reformed with keyboardist Mark Ayers, bassist Ed Burek, singer Comforte, drummer Wayne DiVarko, and guitarists Len Fogerty and Frankie Sullivan. After signing with United Artists, they moved to Los Angeles where they recorded their self-titled debut and only album, "Mariah." On this debut album, the band drew influences from a wide range of groups, from the vocal melodies of The Doobie Brothers to the progressive style of Styx, and the heavy sounds of American hard rock from Mountain. "Mariah" consists of nine uniformly enjoyable tracks such as "Reunion," "Broadway," "Rock and Roll Band," "I Was Born," and "Hey Mama," all brimming with catchy melodies aimed at North American FM radio. Despite the album's high quality, it went largely unnoticed, which led to the band's breakup some time later. Frankie Sullivan would later found the band Survivor, with whom he achieved massive success throughout much of the 1980s.

Tantor-Tantor (1978)

Tantor is one of Argentina's quintessential cult bands and, at the same time, considered one of the country's greatest. This mostly instrumental power trio, playing progressive jazz-rock, lacked wider commercial success, primarily due to the presence of instrumental tracks on their albums. Nevertheless, they garnered a large following and received significant critical acclaim in Argentina and internationally. The band consists of drummer Rodolfo García, bassist Carlos Alberto Rufino, and guitarist Héctor Starc. These three virtuoso musicians brought extensive experience from other important Argentine bands such as Aquelarre and Invisible. Formed in 1977, they released their debut album just a year later, featuring keyboardists Lito Vítale and Leo Sujatovich. This debut album is the perfect example of jazz-rock with progressive leanings, technically superb, with a frenetic and energetic rhythm, driven by incredible guitar work, electric piano and synthesizer sounds, and a powerful and punchy rhythm section. Released at a time when the progressive rock era was in decline worldwide and jazz-rock wasn't at its peak of popularity, this legendary band managed to create one of the best jazz-rock and progressive rock albums ever made. From the opening, energetic jazz-rock track "Guerreras Club" to the epilogue with the vigorous "Carrera de Chanchos," the album unfolds with excellent musical ideas that are as exciting as they are captivating. The serene "Niedernwohren," the funky "Llama siempre," the jazzy, Latin-tinged "Halitos," and the enthusiastic jazz-fusion "Oreja y vuelta al ruedo" complete an anthological and essential work for all fans of progressive rock and rock music in general. 

Neuschwanstein-Alice in Wonderland (1976)

Neuschwanstein was a German progressive rock band formed in the early 1970s in the town of Volklingen, near Saarbrücken. Their name comes from the famous castle of the same name, commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in honor of Richard Wagner. In their early years, this band, led by Thomas Neuroth and Klaus Mayer, focused on performing covers of progressive rock classics by artists such as Rick Wakeman, Yes, and King Crimson. By 1974, the band had begun to gain some recognition in their home country, opening for other German rock bands like Lucifer's Friends and Novalis. Two years later, they recorded their first album, "Alice in Wonderland," a conceptual and instrumental album with narrated interludes. The lineup that recorded this album included Neuroth and Mayer (both on synthesizers, keyboards, and flute), drummer Hans-Peter Schwarz, bassist Rainer Zimmer, and guitarist and narrator Roger Weiler. Echoes of Camel, Rick Wakeman or Genesis are interwoven with grand atmospheric passages, symphonic music and dreamy melodies that leave us with an album with a carefully and brilliantly executed classical background.

Toad-Tomorrow Blue (1972)

“Tomorrow Blue” was the second album by the Swiss band Toad, a superb and successful blend of hard rock, blues rock, and progressive rock. Led by the brilliant guitarist Vic Vergeat, and supported by bassist Werner Fronlich and drummer Cosimo Lampis, this popular Swiss band, in this new release, moves away from the psychedelic and proto-rock of their debut album to delve into progressive sounds, incorporating elements of the most energetic blues rock. The album is brimming with sharp, searing guitar sounds, a precise and incredibly complex bass line, and powerful drumming, as demonstrated in tracks like the blistering “Vampires,” the epic “Change In Time,” the heavy rock tracks “Thoughts,” “Tomorrow Blue,” and “No Need,” and the progressive folk “Blind Chapman’s Tale.”

Fantasy-Fantasy (1970)

Throughout history, there have been quite a few bands called Fantasy. In fact, this blog features a British band that released a superb album in the early 70s, oriented towards progressive pop. But today we'll talk about another "Fantasy." This one, like the previous one, is from the late 60s, but they were American, more specifically from Florida, and would be the first to officially adopt that name. Emerging amidst the effervescent hippie and flower power era, this band consisted of Billy Robbins (lead vocals), his twin brother Bob Robbins (bass), Jim DeMeo (guitar), Mario Russo (keyboards), and Greg Kimple (drums). Initially, their style was related to what leading bands like Jefferson Airplane were doing at the time. However, this band gradually refined their style, moving towards more avant-garde sounds without abandoning their psychedelic spirit. Their enormous reputation led them to open for Iron Butterfly, Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, Grateful Dead, and The Doors. But in 1970, their lead singer suddenly disappeared, his body later found in the Everglades. The rest of the band had to quickly reinvent themselves to fulfill their contracts and began the arduous task of replacing such a charismatic singer as Robbins—something seemingly impossible—until a young woman of just 16, named Lydia James Miller, managed to convince them and landed the lead singer position. Despite her young age, this singer performed and sang like a seasoned professional with a vocal range very similar to that of Grace Slick of Airplane!, and even to Janis Joplin herself. Miller's vocal abilities allowed the rest of the band to explore a wider range of musical ideas, and conventional psychedelic rock transformed into something more progressive, just as the simplicity of the 1960s was being replaced by sophistication and musical ambition. This development quickly caught the attention of Liberty United Artists, with whom they signed a contract and recorded their self-titled album. The album contained hints of folk rock, psychedelic pop, jazzy textures, and even sounds very close to what many years later would be called new wave. Tracks like the epic "What's Next," the psychedelic "Circus of Invisible Men," the bluesy "Understand," and the catchy "The Stoned Cowboy" led Fantasy to enjoy a successful but ephemeral period of glory that didn't last much longer than this phenomenal album, now lost in the mists of time. 

Nightnoise-The Parting Tide (1990)

When discussing traditional Celtic music, one cannot overlook Nightnoise, an innovative Oregon-based group comprised of Irish, Scottish, and American musicians, considered the spearhead of the Irish folk revival in the 1980s. However, Nightnoise's style wasn't solely rooted in Celtic folk; it also incorporated elements of jazz and chamber music. Their origins trace back to the early 1980s when American violinist Billy Oskay, bassist Tommy Thompson, and Irish guitarist Michael Ó Domhnaill released their self-titled debut album, "Nightnoise," on the prestigious Windham Hill label. This first release showcased a style that fused the relaxed atmosphere of classical music with jazz, all within a distinctly Irish framework. Some time later, the band expanded with the addition of Irish vocalist Triona Ní Dhomhnaill and American flautist Brian Dunning, thus completing the group's most stable and renowned lineup. In the following years came other works that are considered fundamental to new age music, such as "Something Of Time" (1987), "At The End Of The Evening" (1988), "The Parting Tide" (1990), "Shadow Of Time" (1993), and "A Different Shore" (1995). All of these were very well received in new music circles and garnered favorable reviews from the specialized press. In each and every one of them, Nightnoise managed to perfectly blend traditional Celtic music, ambient music, and jazz.

Electric Sun-Earthquake (1979)

After his time with the German band Scorpions ended, lead guitarist Uli Jon Roth formed the project Electric Sun, with whom he recorded three albums between 1979 and 1985. The first of these, "Earthquake," was released in 1979 and featured Roth on guitar and vocals, along with bassist Ule Ritgen and drummer Clive Edwards. It was followed by "Fire Wind" in 1981, which introduced a new drummer, Sidhatta Gautama. With this lineup, the band toured extensively around the world, achieving modest success. For their third album, "Beyond the Astral Skies" (1985), they enlisted former Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker, as well as vocalists Michael Flexig and Nicky Moore. The style of this project was far removed from what Scorpions were doing at the time, veering towards a psychedelic hard rock created in the image of what Jimi Hendrix had done ten years earlier. However, hippie trends were already quite outdated by the late 70s, so despite Roth's prodigious talent on the six-string and the undeniable quality of the other band members, the project was doomed to commercial failure. Another contributing factor was Roth's limited vocal range, which significantly diminished the final result of their debut album. Even so, on this first album, the instrumental work is in many cases breathtaking, where the epic, neoclassical style and hard rock are brilliantly and heroically executed by the power trio, as demonstrated in tracks like "Electric Sun," "Burning Wheels Turning," "Sundown," and the magnificent epic "Earthquake."

Pacific Eardrum-Pacific Eardrum (1977)

We continue expanding our musical palette with another forgotten band from the 70s, this time traveling to New Zealand, the home of Pacific Eardrum. This jazz-rock/funk and soul band released two albums on the British label Charisma in 1977 and 1978, followed by a third on CBS in 1980. The original lineup consisted of three New Zealanders (Dave MacRae, keyboards; Joy ​​Yates, vocals; and Bill Kristian, bass), two Britons (Jeff Seopardie, drums; and Isaac Guillory, guitar), and one American (Jim Cuomo, saxophone). Dave MacRae was the most experienced, having played in bands like Matching Mole, Nucleus, and The Walker Brothers, followed by Yates, who had contributed to albums by Cat Stevens, Chris De Burgh, and Chris Youlden. Their first album, which isn't discussed here, was produced by Laurie Latham at London's Workhouse Studios during the first months of 1977 and released in the middle of the same year. Joy Yates's vocals, along with the magnificent instrumental structures created by McRae and flawlessly performed by the band, are undoubtedly the highlights of an album that showcased great compositional talent and musical originality. Tracks like "All Around Us" and "Sun and Sand and Samba" are just a small sample of the enormous quality that, incomprehensibly, didn't achieve much success beyond a few thousand copies sold and the enthusiasm of a large legion of devoted fans.

Tears For Fears-Songs From The Big Chair (1985)

Formed under the guidance of two of the finest musicians of the 1980s new wave, progressive pop, and synth-pop scenes, Tears For Fears achieved meteoric success with their debut album, "The Hurting," released in 1983. This duo, composed of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, debuted with an album brimming with controversial themes such as childhood trauma, the treatment by oppressive parents, and the emotional struggles of adolescence. The album featured standout tracks like the catchy "Mad World." But on their next full-length album, the duo showcased a more mature and reflective side with refined pieces like the poignant "Head Over Heels" and the incredibly infectious "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Shout," two of the most famous songs of the 1980s. Other songs, such as the complex "The Working Hour," the dark "Broken," and the nostalgic "Listen," cemented Tears For Fears as one of the most eclectic and talented bands of the 1980s. With its subsequent commercial success, this album reached number two in the UK and number one in the US, becoming a multi-platinum record with over ten million copies sold worldwide.

Wanka-The Orange Album (1977)

Wanka was a forgotten Canadian band that followed in the footsteps of the progressive hard rock of other bands from their country like Rush and Triumph, but they didn't achieve the same success, despite releasing an interesting album that ultimately went completely unnoticed commercially. Formed in the mid-seventies in Toronto by Britons Chris Gibb (bass) and Mark Pickett (guitar) and Canadians Howard Samuel (guitar and vocals), Mike McConnell (drums), and Doug Paul Smith (keyboards), the band spent several years building a strong reputation as a local act in the pub and concert venue circuit of Toronto and the surrounding area. The enormous talent of these five boys did not go unnoticed by Rush and Max Webster's producer, Terry Brown, who offered them the opportunity to record an album produced by himself and released in mid-1977. Published by the independent label Axe Records, this album, titled "The Orange Album," contained an exciting collection of tracks that ranged from pure hard rock to AOR with progressive touches, as demonstrated by tracks such as "Make Up Your Mind," "Wrong Door," "Get Ahead," and "Say No More."

801-801 Live (1976)

801 was a project formed by Phil Manzanera as a supergroup parallel to his main band Roxy Music, with whom he released two albums in the mid-seventies. “801 Live” was the first, and as its title indicates, it is a live recording made during a mini-tour in the UK during August and September of 1976. In addition to the guitarist, the band consisted of Brian Eno (keyboards, guitar, and vocals), Francis Monkman of Curved Air (keyboards), Simon Phillips (drums), Bill MacCornick (bass and vocals), and Lloyd Watson (slide guitar). With an eclectic style ranging from catchy, melodic tunes to raw, pure rock tracks, while still incorporating the progressive sounds and avant-garde elements that are always present in any work involving Brian Eno, the album unfolds energetically, brimming with complex compositions. Highlights include Monkman's Fender Rhodes keyboards, bassist MacCornick's driving rhythm, Eno's ambient atmosphere, Phillips' solid percussion, and the brilliant guitar work of Phil Manzanera. The repertoire is divided between covers of songs by The Beatles (T.N.K. - Tomorrow Never Knows), The Kinks (You Really Got Me), and other compositions by Brian Eno, Manzanera himself, and the Eno/Manzanera band Quiet Sun.

Colosseum II-Strange New Flesh (1976)

Colosseum was one of the first progressive rock bands to emerge in the late 1960s. After releasing four magnificent progressive jazz albums (“Those Who About to Die Salute You,” “Valentyne Suite,” “The Grass Is Greener,” and “Daughter of Time”), they disbanded near the end of 1971. Several years later, one of its founders, drummer Jon Hiseman, revived the band, recruiting vocalist Mike Starr, guitarist Gary Moore, keyboardist Don Airey, and bassist John Mole, thus forming Colosseum II. In 1976, they debuted with “Strange New Flesh,” which, unlike the progressive Colosseum of earlier years, leaned towards a vigorous jazz-rock sound very much in line with what other contemporary bands of the genre were doing at the time (Return to Forever), fusing it with an energetic rock style reminiscent of the Jeff Beck Group or the James Gang. An album that opens with the dazzling and exhilarating "Dark Side of the Moog," an ironic title that bears no resemblance to the work of the bands led by Roger Waters and David Gilmour. This is followed by the melodic and atmospheric "Down to You," featuring excellent vocals from Starr and Airey's keyboard work. The funky jazz tracks "Gemini and Leo" and "Secret Places" add a touch of lightheartedness to this debut album. The album closes with the melodic "On Second Thoughts" and the tour de force "Winds," where all the musicians deliver dazzling instrumental performances in a powerful piece of progressive jazz that serves as the perfect conclusion to a masterpiece of 1970s jazz-rock.

The 13th Floor Elevators-The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators (1966)

We are dealing with a band and an album that are fundamental to understanding the evolution of psychedelic music and garage rock in the 1960s. The 13th Floor Elevators were the first to create a style that would soon be called psychedelic pop/rock, based primarily on the roar of acid guitar riffs and reverberation at high volume, recording and performing live under the influence of LSD, resulting in highly distorted sounds. This band, originally from Austin, Texas, consisted of Roky Erickson, guitarist, singer, and frontman; Stacy Sutherland on lead guitar; drummer John Ike Walton; instrumentalist Tommy Hall; and bassist Ronnie Leatherman. In 1966, thanks to several impactful singles, the group embarked on a successful tour of the American West Coast, which led to a contract with International Artists, with whom they released their first full-length album at the end of 1966. Sarcastic songs like "You're Gonna Miss Me," powerful garage rock tracks such as "Reverberation (Doubt)" and "Tried to Hide," and the decadent "Roller Coaster" and "Fire Engine" served as the perfect introduction to the national scene for The 13th Floor Elevators. However, after several more releases, "Easter Everywhere" (1967) and "Bull of the Woods" (1969), the group was consumed by its own fame. The continued use of hard drugs and the resulting legal troubles led to numerous mental health problems for all its members. Finally, in 1969, Roky Erickson was prosecuted for marijuana possession, an event that marked the end of the band's career. 

The Animals-The Animals (1964)

The Animals are one of the key bands of the British Invasion, and in their early years, they were fierce competitors to the likes of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. This band, initially known as The Alan Price Combo, consisted of keyboardist Alan Price, singer Eric Burdon, guitarist Hilton Valentine, bassist Chas Chandler, and drummer John Steel. Their first record deal was with MGM, with whom they released their self-titled debut album, "The Animals," in 1964. The standout track on this first album is the legendary "House of the Rising Sun," a traditional song reimagined with new arrangements, featuring captivating guitar lines and a distinctive organ sound that propelled it to the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, making it one of the most enduring songs of the twentieth century. In addition to this song, other brilliant versions appear here under the hypnotic rhythms of Rhythm and Blues such as "Around And Around" by Chuck Berry, "I've Been Around" by Fats Domino, "I'm Mad Again" by John Lee Hooker or "Talkin' Bout You" by Ray Charles.

Various Artists-41 Original Hits From The Soundtrack Of American Graffiti (1973)

In 1973, the renowned director George Lucas, famous for films like "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones," wrote and directed "American Graffiti," a film set in the early 1960s in which he attempted to faithfully recreate the American youth culture of that era and the impact of rock and roll on that generation. The film became one of the most lucrative in cinematic history, grossing over $200 million from box office receipts, record sales, and VHS video sales and rentals. Beyond the film itself, the most striking aspect of this cinematic masterpiece is its impressive soundtrack. Lucas meticulously selected 41 songs that are fundamental to the origins of rock and roll. All of them achieved massive success on the charts, not only in the United States, but many also worldwide. From Chuck Berry's rock and roll to Booker T. Jones' soul jazz, passing through pioneers of the genre such as Bill Haley and The Comets, Fats Domino, Del Shannon or Buddy Holly, the doo wop of The Platters or the surf of The Beach Boys.

Rock Rose-Rock Rose (1979)

Another interesting and now largely forgotten band was the American group Rock Rose, who offered a compelling and engaging blend of melodic AOR and American rock from the late 1970s. The band was originally formed by bassist and vocalist Frank Demme, guitarist and keyboardist Chris Barr, and guitarist Carl Johnson, who attended high school together in a Los Angeles suburb. This trio was one of the most popular among a variety of California garage bands before recruiting drummer Jack Damore. Once the band lineup was solidified, they hit the ground running, playing a wide circuit of clubs in Southern California and touring other states along the West Coast. The immense popularity Rock Rose gained through their concerts did not go unnoticed by Columbia Records, who offered them a contract and produced an album in early 1979. This single album is well-crafted, featuring polished, harmonious arrangements courtesy of the top-notch production team that worked with Santana: Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. Among its tracks are the addictive and catchy rock songs "Diary of Fools," "Daddy's Car," "Sad Thing," and "Slippin'," as well as the melodic "Bittersweet Love," "You've Gone Beyond," "Phantom Lover," and "Sad Thing." The album achieved more than acceptable sales in the North American, Canadian, and Australian markets, but this was not enough for Columbia, and some time later their recording contract was terminated. The band then returned to performing concerts in the Los Angeles area.

Pell Mell-Marburg (1972)

Pell Mell were another of those talented bands that fell into the abyss at the end of the 1970s, disappearing as if they had never existed. Their debut album, "Marburg," brimming with violins, mellotrons, flutes, and a solid rock foundation, developed a symphonic rock sound that drew from the genre's great classics, fusing them with a dose of heavy sounds driven by the Hammond organ, resulting in a style reminiscent of British bands like Uriah Heep or Deep Purple. This group was based in the city of Marburg in northwestern Germany, and its lineup consisted of Jorg Gotzfried (bass and vocals), Andy Kirnberger (guitar), Bruno Kniesmeijer (percussion and drums), Hans Otto Pusch (keyboards), and Thomas Schmitt (flute, violin, keyboards, and vocals). The nine-minute frenetic "The Clown and the Queen" opens this debut album and simultaneously becomes its climax, followed by the dynamic "Friend," the grandiose "City Monster," and the heavy rock anthem "Alone." While the cover of Smetana's classic "The Moldau" is perhaps the least interesting track, it doesn't detract from the merits of this compelling album of classic symphonic rock, highly regarded by progheads.

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band-SAHB Stories (1976)

Heavy riffs, theatrical stage presence throughout, flashes of glam rock, and a dash of humor were the ingredients that always characterized The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, one of the most popular bands in England during the 1970s. With eight studio albums and two live albums in just five years, they knew how to combine the heavy sounds of hard rock with humorous lyrics and an engaging stage show. In 1976, thanks to the hit single "Boston Tea Party," they also reached the top ten of the British charts, a track from their sixth album, "SAHB Stories," which also achieved significant chart success. This sixth album, produced in London's Basing Street studios during the first months of 1976, was released in the middle of the same year and was recorded by musicians Alex Harvey (guitar and vocals), Zal Cleminson (guitar), Ted McKenna (drums), Chris Glen (bass), and Hugh McKenna (keyboards). In addition to the aforementioned and carefree "Boston Tea Party", the group leaves us with a work full of impressive cuts such as the powerful and exquisite "Dance To Your Daddy", the groove boogie rock "Amos Moses", the elegant "Jungle Rub Out", the extravagant bluesy "Sirocco", the hard rock "Sultans Choice" or the epic "Dogs Of War", with which they bring to a close this fantastic and memorable album from one of the most iconic bands in the history of British rock.

The Greatest Show On Earth-Horizons (1970)

The Greatest Show On Earth was one of the many unclassifiable bands that emerged in the late 1970s. Despite releasing two excellent albums of eclectic prog rock, they didn't achieve the expected and deserved success. Founded in London by guitarist Garth Watt-Roy and his brother, bassist Norman Watt-Roy, the rest of the lineup included keyboardist Mick Deacon, percussionist Ron Prudence, trumpeters Dick Hanson, Tex Phillpoots, and Ian Aitchison, and vocalist, guitarist, and flautist Colin Jennings. The music of this large band was a blend of different styles such as soul, jazz, R&B, and progressive rock, leading to comparisons with their American contemporaries Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago. This appealing mix of styles caught the attention of EMI's progressive rock sub-label, Harvest Records, who produced several moderately successful singles for them. In 1970, their first full-length album, "Horizons," was released. It opens with the exuberant and powerful "Sunflower Morning," where the guitar and heavy organ establish themselves as the driving and dominant instruments of the band's original style. "Angelina," the following track, is dominated by horns in a clear brass rock style. The captivating and moving "Day of the Lady" closes the first side, showcasing superb musicianship. The energetic rock track "Real Cool World," with its pulsating rhythm and powerful guitar riffs, became the song that propelled the album to success across much of Europe, while the hard jazz rock track "I Fought for Love" demonstrates the impressive skill of keyboardist Deacon. With the title track, "Horizons," the band reveals its most avant-garde side, a resounding and apotheotic tour de force of progressive hard rock, before concluding this debut album with the melancholic "Again and Again." After a second album released at the end of 1970, and due to a lack of chart success, it contributed to the breakup of The Greatest Show On Earth, and all its members went on to join other bands of the time such as Glencoe, Vinegar Joe, The Blues Band, Chaser, Tagett, or the Wilko Johnson Band.

The Rubettes-Wear It's 'At (1974)

Initially categorized as a glam pop band with influences from Black American music like doo-wop, The Rubettes had their moment of glory in 1974 when one of their songs climbed to the top of the charts worldwide. Founded in 1974, their initial lineup consisted of Alan Williams on vocals and guitar, John Richardson on drums and vocals, Mick Clarke on bass and vocals, Tony Thorpe on guitar and vocals, and pianists Pete Arnesen and Bill Hurd. All of them were session musicians at Polydor Studios, and their main driving force was Wayne Bickerton, one of the directors of a division of the record label, along with producer Tony Waddington. Their biggest hit was "Sugar Baby Love," which, released in January 1974, reached number one worldwide several months later, dethroning ABBA's album "Waterloo" and becoming one of the biggest hits of the year. It's a song inspired by the vocal doo-wop-pop of the 1950s, but adorned with the arrangements of more mainstream music from the mid-1970s. Its tremendous success was therefore no surprise. It went on to sell a staggering ten million copies worldwide, including singles and LPs, achieving gold status in the UK and many other European countries. Although after this success, and despite having some less commercially impactful hits like "Juke Box Jive" and "Tonight," the band continued releasing albums well into the 1990s, but remained largely absent from the charts and were considered a beloved and famous 1970s revival band.

Hawkwind-Hall Of The Mountain Grill (1974)

"Hall of the Mountain Grill" was Hawkwind's fourth album and their first to fuse spacey sounds with the acid rock of their earlier work. Recorded during mid-1974 at Edmonton Sundwood Studios in London, it was produced by the renowned Roy Thomas Baker, a regular engineer for bands such as Free, Queen, Journey, Nazareth, and Foreigner, among many others. For this third release, keyboardist and violinist Simon House replaced Robert Calvert, while the rest of the band consisted of Dave Brock (guitar and keyboards), Nik Turner (saxophone, flute, and vocals), Lemmy Kilmister (bass and vocals), Simon King (drums and percussion), and Del Dettmar (keyboards). The new sound is evident in tracks like "The Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear in Smoke)," "D-Rider," and "Paradox," while the acid-tinged rock vein remains present in tracks like "You'd Better Believe It" and "Lost Johnny." However, the complete absence of Robert Calvert's science fiction and fantasy poetry interludes is noticeable. While these don't necessarily detract from the album's final result, they do lack the philosophical spark of his earlier work. Even so, as mentioned at the beginning, this album marked the beginning of a more ambient and progressive style, resulting in an admirable work of the best space rock of the 1970s.

Too Much-Too Much (1971)

This band, formed in the late 1960s in the Japanese city of Kobe, was born under the influence of Western music, especially that of the United States and England, thanks to the albums that arrived on supply ships for the consumption of the American troops stationed there. Led by former The Helpful Soul guitarist Junio ​​Nakahara, who already had an extensive musical career encompassing psychedelia, hard rock, and late 1960s blues, Nakahara enlisted vocalist Juni Lush, drummer Hideya Kobayashi, and bassist Masayuki Aoki. After signing with the American label Atlantic Records in mid-1970, they wrote a wealth of material, many of them proto-Japanese anthems, some of which appeared on the band's only album, released in early 1971. The final result is a masterpiece of Japanese rock, featuring monolithic tracks like the hard rock anthems "Grease It Out," "Love Is You," and "Gonna Take You," powerful blues-rock pieces like "Love That Blinds Me," and moody, tearful ballads such as "Reminiscence" and "I Shall Be Released." Psychedelic hard rock exercises like the epic "Song For My Lady," a massive progressive piece brimming with acoustic guitars, flute, and mellotron. Shortly after this release, the band would definitively disband, each member going their separate ways, but leaving us with this formidable album of the best Japanese hard rock for posterity.

Rare Earth-Ma (1973)

Rare Earth's sixth album was preceded by four excellent studio works and a sensational double live album, and became another of their great works thanks to a series of songs full of blues rock reminiscent of funk and soul. "Ma" was produced by one of the producers of the Motown label, Norman Whitfield, who in turn was co-author of some of the album's songs, which would provide it with the characteristic sound of the black bands of the legendary Detroit label. The line-up of Rare Earth for this new album was significantly different from that of their first works, said line-up was composed of Gil Bridges (saxophone, flute and vocals), Peter Hoorebelke (drums and vocals), Ray Monette (guitar and vocals), Mark Olson (keyboards and vocals), Pete Rivera (drums and vocals) and Mike Urso (bass and vocals). The seventeen-minute repetitive guitar riff on the psychedelic and sublime “Ma” is the high point of this album, a track that contrasts with the Zeppelin-like hard rock “Hum Along and Dance,” the soul-funk feel of “Big John is My Name,” and the experimental “Come With Me.” Although it did not have the same media or commercial impact as other previous works, “Ma” was considered one of the cult albums in the underground and over time became one of Rare Earth’s most popular albums.

Electromagnets-Electromagnets (1974)

Electromagnets was an interesting jazz-rock band known for having a very young Eric Johnson in its line-up, who was already showing signs of becoming one of the great jazz and blues rock guitarists. Originally formed under the name Aussenhorowitz in 1974 by keyboardist Stephen Barber and drummer Bill Maddox, they were soon joined by bassist Kyle Brock and guitarist Eric Johnson, changing the name to the definitive Electromagnets. That same year and under the EGM Records label they recorded their self-titled debut album, and ultimately their only release, where they showcase the instrumental virtuosity of the four musicians, especially Barber's skillful and sinuous jazz keyboards and Johnson's eclectic guitar sounds. Tracks like the funk rock “Hawaiian Punch”, the energetic jazz rock “Dry Ice” or the dynamic jazz fusion “Blackhole” show the outstanding mastery of Electromagnets, which together with an excellent production is among the highlights of jazz rock in the mid-seventies, almost at the level of the great bands of the genre such as Weather Report or Return to Forever.

Rose´s Pawn Shop-"Dancing On The Gallows" (2010)

Rose's Pawn Shop are a band that gave a breath of fresh air to the American sound in 2005, when they were founded (this does not mean that there are not many others that have also contributed to keeping the legacy alive). They make everything from classical music ("classical" if you were born in the southern United States), from bluegrass to country to folk, rock and blues.
"Dancing On The Gallows" was the second album by this magnificent band released in 2010. By then the band consisted of Paul Givant, vocalist, guitar and banjo, Tim Weed, Mandolin, fiddle and vocals, John Kraus, banjo, mandolin and guitar, Stphen Andrews, bass and drums, Christian Hogan, Debtors of the sounds that The Byrds or The Band created in the sixties, Rose's Pawn Shop manifest their style in superb songs like "Strangers", "Debt Collector" or "Pine Box", themes that if they had been published in the 70s, we would speak of a jewel of the genre.

Cargo-Cargo (1972)

Cargo were a fleeting Dutch heavy prog band, who only recorded one album published in 1972, which is full of overwhelming and dynamic sounds that, by way of guitar jams, is another of those amazing lost and dark albums from the 70's.
This band arose from the ashes of another Dutch band called September, which had released several unsuccessful singles in the early 70's and would later change their name to Cargo. Their lineup consisted of brothers Ad and Jan de Hont, both guitarists, bassist Willem DeVires, and drummer Denis Whitbread.
This unique work contains four extensive cuts where the guitar lines are intermingled with frenetic guitar duos in unison in the purest style of the British Wishbone Ash.
Due to the long duration of the four tracks, there is enough room for improvisation with powerful riffs, acid sounds, solos of all kinds and a mind-blowing electric jam style, all infused with melodic vocals.
The initial "Cross Talking" as its title implies, is a formidable theme of incredibly executed dual guitars and a powerful rhythm section that perfectly supports the feeling that it is played live. "Summerfair" is a fifteen minute tour de force with relaxing sounds, lots of improvisation and sweeping psychedelic sounds. While "Sail Inside", it begins with a powerful hard rock that ends in another instrumental jam.
However, and despite the fact that they had a good impact on the part of the critics, the album would go unnoticed due to the scarce promotional support from their record company, being relegated to the most absolute ostracism, which is why the band would disappear at the end of 1972, but leaving For posterity, another essential album in the history of European progressive rock of the 1970s.

Aerosmith-Aerosmith (1973)

"Dream on" is one of the songs that is part of the first album of the Boston band, Aerosmith, published in 1973, but it would be after its relaunch at the end of 1975, and thanks to countless American radio stations, when it was would place at the top of the American charts.
However, within that simple cover above the clouds of his first album, apart from the aforementioned “Dream On”, other songs float like “Walkin' the Dog”, a tribute to Rufus Thomas Jr, a relevant Bluesman, the classic “ Toys in the Attic”, a round song in every sense, the fusion of rap and rock connected in 'Walk This Way' or the first written contribution of guitarist Brad Whitford, “Round a Round”, a wonderful song flavored with psychedelic touches.
However, "Dream On" was first performed live at the Shaboo Inn in Willimantic, Connecticut in 1969 with Steven's old band (who wrote it as a young man in the mid-'60s), Chain Reaction. It was undoubtedly one of the band's most successful songs, and their most popular single during the group's formative years in the 1970s, and an immediate passport that would catapult this album to success.

Robert Berry-3.2 Third Impression (2021)

In 2015 Keith Emerson and Robert Berry considered giving continuity to the project in which both participated in 1988 and resulted in the album "To The Power of Three" in which the drummer Carl Palmer would also participate. For some time both musicians worked on this project but unfortunately a year later Keith Emerson died just when he was almost everything ready in order to start preparations for a new album.
Two years later Robert Berry published “The Rules Have Changed”, a tribute album to the legacy of Keith Emerson and in 2021 the long-awaited project left halfway five years before finally comes to light.
For this continuation entitled “Third Impression”, Robert Berry relied on recordings that Keith Emerson himself had left on cassette tapes, on keyboard parts recorded on his own mobile phone, as well as the ideas that both had started working on in those days. moments.
This work continues to keep intact the melodic tone of the debut from years ago, with an album full of progressive and epic rock, without neglecting the characteristic AOR sound and the great keyboard work, a clear musical heritage of Keith Emerson. So from the initial "Top Of The World" where the acoustic guitars and the epic voices together with the great keyboards, capture the listener with a dramatic and grandiloquent theme. The forceful “What Side You're On”, with a clear progressive cut, gives way to the more passionate “Killer Of Hope” and “Missing Piece”. The AOR “The Devil of Liverpool”, the jazzy “Emotional Trigger”, the epic “A Fond Farewell” and the progressive and extensive “Never” end an album with a great legacy to the most genuine sound of ELP but with a more accessible than that of the legendary British band.

10cc-...Meanwhile (1992)

One of the most refined progressive pop bands of the 1970s was the British formation 10CC. The ability of this band was to fuse addictive and catchy songs with an extraordinary sound universe of eclectic origin, great arrangements and productions of enormous class, turning them into the most snobbish and carefree of art rock.
His line-up was made up of four great musicians, all of them great composers and experienced instrumentalists, such as Lol Creme, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley and Eric Stewart. They separately, before forming 10 CC, had dedicated themselves to composing hits for artists in the sixties such as The Hollies, The Yardbirds, Herman's Hermits or Jeff Beck among others.
Already in 1970 Eric Stewart built the Strawberry Studios and hired Creme and Godley and from their first collaborations came the song “Neanderthal Man”, which achieved immediate success under the name of Hotlegs. This success leads them to open for The Moody Blues on the tour they gave during that year for which Gouldman would join him. The good feelings that the quartet offered resulted in the creation of 10CC, also motivated by the success of several songs such as the boogie rock "Rubber Bullets", which managed to reach the top of the British charts in 1973. At the end of that The same year their first album “10 CC” would arrive, where they demonstrated the group's songwriting skills with very original songs of great class. From here the group's career would skyrocket with a series of high-quality albums such as "Sheet Music" (1974), "The Original Soundtrack" (1975) and "How Dare You" (1976), all of them impeccable works studio with very sophisticated arrangements, enveloping and effective melodies, and certain qualities of romanticism, thus creating a unique and unmistakable style.
But after three years in which they had achieved international fame, they still had to conquer the North American market, which resisted their sophisticated mix of pop and rock, which was not conceived for tours and the great North American stadiums. All this was reason for the critics to begin to accuse them of cold technicality and part of the public would also begin to turn their backs on them, something that would lead the group to its first great crisis that would lead to the abandonment of Godley and Creme, who decided to continue. on their own, forming the duo Godley and Creme.
However, this abandonment would not limit the trajectory of the other 10CC, and thus Stewart and Gouldman resumed the group's career by publishing the album "Deceptive Bends" (1977) which was followed by the direct "Live And Let Live" (1977), and the interesting “Bloody Tourists” (1978).
The eighties were marked by works with disparate results such as “Ten Out of 10” (1981) and “Windows In The Jungle” (1983), after which the band disintegrated until new years later.
In 1993, the original line-up returned, thereby creating great expectations in the world of pop and rock, which were endorsed with the publication of the excellent album "...Meanwhile", a work in which they returned to their unmistakable style, with a series of songs refined rock and pop songs starting with the hit "Woman in Love" an addictive rock song that recovers the best 10CC, to which are added other outstanding cuts such as the melodic and catchy "Wonderland", the rock "Fill Her Up" , the reggae “Welcome To Paradise”, or the neo-progressive “Don´t Break The Promises”, while the rest keep intact the enormous songwriting quality of the group with sophisticated songs of refined quality.

Omega-The Hall Of Floaters In The Sky (1975)

Omega, are the most successful Hungarian rock band in the history of their country, which even had a great acceptance internationally. Such was their enormous success that as they released albums in other countries it became necessary to break the language barrier, leaving behind their mother tongue to sing in English. His style is a combination of the avant-garde sounds of Eastern Europe with symphonic and progressive influences, but with hints of 70's British hard rock. The result is a dark, orchestrated sound combined with extensive and well-developed improvisation. Their discography had begun in the late 1960s and the group has been around until 2020 when they released their latest album with more modern and up-to-date sounds. From 1968 to 1975: Omega released a series of albums that were basically oriented to brilliant pop rock with approaches to psychedelic sounds and some attractive ballads.
From 1976 to 1981, they released four albums oriented to space rock and progressive rock with great arrangements and a wide influence of bands with echoes of the more atmospheric Pink Floyd and the progressive hard rock of the Eloy Germans.
From this period are his albums "Time Robber" / "Idõrabló", one of his best works with space and electronic sounds, although "Skrover" / "Csillagok Útján" is the most musically diverse. In the same vein, the albums "Gammapolis" / "Gammapolisz" and "Working" / "Az Arc" followed.
One of the highlights of this band is that since 1971 they have incredibly maintained the same line-up until 2020, when they released their latest work "Testamentum" and is made up of vocalist János Kóborl, guitarist György Molnár, László Benkő, keyboardist and vocals, Tamás Mihály bass and drummer Ferenc Debreceni.
With their ninth album published in 1975, and entitled 'The Hall Of Floaters In The Sky' the band clearly begins its progressive orientation, a wonderful example of the symphonic style of this band made in the European style, largely influenced by bands leading British brands such as Yes, Genesis or PF. An album packed with synth sounds, backed by metallic guitars, polished with gritty English vocals, and packed with enough instrumental creativity not to envy most mid-seventies rock bands. This is a truly remarkable album, with hard and energetic instrumentation, full of catchy melodies and some devilishly engaging solos. Despite being recorded in 1975, its sound leans towards the typical electronic productions that would be common in the 1980s, albeit with the sensibility of the 1970s. The highlight of this album is 'Magician', which begins with muscular, chatty guitar playing courtesy of Gyorgy Molnar, or the eight-minute '20th Century Town Dweller', which balances shimmering synth lines with throbbing bass and drums. The rest follows a similar line with the powerful and melodic “Movin´World”, full of mellotrons and atmospheric sounds, or the space rock “One Mand Land” and “Never Feel Shame” both with vertiginous rhythms of great guitar riffs and huge layers of keyboards
All of their subsequent releases were packed with hard, creative prog rock of the highest class. However from 1981 the band moved towards a sophisticated electronic pop rock genre with progressive elements. However, from then on the band began to show clear signs of creative stagnation. Shortly after their twentieth album was released in 1986, Omega disbanded for good. After seven years of long silence, the band met again and recorded a new album in 1995, "Transcendent" / "Trans and Dance", a work with large keyboards and attractive progressive atmospheres that after almost 30 years, demonstrated with it that this hungarian band was still a legend in world progressive rock.